Argathripe - Book 2 ~ (The Dead City Series)

⭒❃.✮:▹ Chapter 5 ◃:✮.❃⭒

     The pathways were boarded by little sticks, and the actual path you walked on was covered in hay or straw. But one thing was for certain: Shapeshifters were amazing to watch. They always seemed to be changing their colors and sizes. Once I thought I saw another wolf, but it was really just a Shapeshifter. In one of the books Katrina had given me, it said that the Shapeshifters' Royal wasn't a particular gender. One second they would be a Queen, the next a King. So it said to just refer to them as a Royal. People kept looking at us. I guessed because Katrina had faint black spots, and Theo had darker spots and was barely keeping up with us.

     "Halt," I heard a voice from somewhere to my right.

     I turned and was faced with a guard Shapeshifter. He was different shades of red and gold. I read in a book that means he's angry and proud. Or he just likes the color scheme. I felt a small breeze, and Katrina was in front of me. Yes, please deal with this dude. I have no idea what I'm doing. I looked for Theo. As Katrina and the guard talked about who-knows-what, I walked over to Theo to see how he was doing. He was just kind of standing there, staring off into space.

     "Theo..?" I said, trying not to scare him.

     He didn't answer. He even didn't move. His breath sounded shallow.

     "Theo," I tried to say more sternly.

     Still no difference. He blinked.

     "Theodore!" I shouted at him.

     That shook him.

     "I-Moth-" He said startled.

      "Not your mom. Just me, Scarlet," I said, trying to calm him down.

     He seemed to calm down a bit. People were looking at us. Shapeshifters that were watching had different shades of yellow on them. He sighed.

     "I'm not sure how much longer I can keep up with you two. The darkness is infecting my brain, making it harder for me to concentrate," He sighed again and closed his eyes.

     I stayed quiet. I wasn't sure what to do in that situation. I decided to tell him why we had stopped walking.

     "A guard stopped us and is talking to Katrina right now," I said.

     "Use your ears to hear what they're saying."

     "What?" I felt a little offended.

      "Not like that. You're a wolf, right? Wolves have really good hearing no matter what element they are. Use your wolf ears to hear instead."

     I didn't think he understood how new I was to all of this.

     "I, um, dunno how to get my 'wolf ears.' I didn't have time to learn it before I left," I explained, slightly embarrassed.

     "Oh. Alright then. Want me to teach you?"

     I didn't really want to do anything like that. It made me feel normal when I didn't use my weird new powers.

     "Maybe later," I said.

     I think he said something else, but I didn't hear. I didn't want to hear. Because I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. I felt like something bad was coming. I heard Theo say something else, but I was now the one staring off into space. I heard nothing other than my own heart beating. Then there was no noise. I stood there, in a strange oily black lake waiting for someone to say something, do something. But no one came. I couldn't lift my head. I couldn't move my fingers, or toes, or arms, or legs. I just stood there, blinking. Breathing.

     Then someone slapped me. I raised my head to see Katrina in front of me with a strange look in her eye, and Theo behind her, looking like he was about to cry. His spots seemed even darker than they were a minute ago.

     "What in the world happened to you?! Theo said you were fine, but suddenly just seemed to black out standing up!' Katrina had anger in her voice, but also a hint of worry.

     She's worried for me? I thought she didn't care...

     "I... dunno..." I said slowly.

     I felt unlike myself. I sounded like someone else when I spoke. She gave me a minute.

     "Well, when you start acting like a person again, come to the gates over there," She pointed in a direction. "Then we can get on a boat for Argathripe. I'll tell you more when you're ready to listen."

     Then she seemed to disappear. My life seemed to be lagging in front of my eyes. Like I was on a bad server, and all anyone did was glitch around. Including myself. One second I would be standing far away from a random gift shop, then I would be right next to it, having meaning to only take a few steps. I kind of recognized the feeling. It was the feeling I had when me and John had been running through the woods, right after I had fallen through the window. Except then I had control of it. I was going super fast, but couldn't seem to stop myself. I looked around. Where had Katrina said to go? I saw the gate with an archway covered in red, blue, and gold roses that seemed to glow that led into a fancy vine-and-flower-overridden palace, and saw Katrina there. She was looking at me. Theo was sitting down on a bench, looking like he was going to faint. I tried to just walk over to them, but instead ended up right in front of Katrina. I can't stop it. I thought to her. Just try. She thought back to me. I did. I thought again. Then do it again. I looked at her. No games. No tricks. Just try again and concentrate. She thought to me, her voice clear in my head. Okay. I thought back. I closed my eyes and concentrated on having normal speed. I felt a strange weight I didn't know I even had lift from my chest. I opened my eyes after a few moments. Everyone around me was moving normally. No one was even looking at me weirdly.

     "Why does no one care? Did they somehow not notice?" I asked Katrina.

     Katrina shrugged. "It's normal. Remember, we're in the real world now. Everyone here has magic. Almost everyone here can read some type of a person's mind. Now, are you ready to meet the Royal Jesse?"